


Better Than a Rubber Duck.

by WingsofWriting



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M, Techie AU, Tumblr Prompt, ghost au, psychic connection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 21:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12920229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsofWriting/pseuds/WingsofWriting
Summary: Otabek really, really didn't anticipate any complications from taking that corner office, no one wanted. He certainly didn't expect a blonde companion with an opinion on everything, despite having no basis of knowledge for it.





	Better Than a Rubber Duck.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was a prompt challenge from pepperroxd for An AU Mix It Up challenge. I was given ghost AU, tech support AU, and physic connection AU. 
> 
> I had a lot of fun with this despite not having write Otayuri or YOI fic before, nor written fic in about 5 years.

_‘You’re doing it wrong.’_

“You died nearly two hundred years ago, how the fuck would you know?” 

_‘Because you’re doing it wrong!’_

Otabek groaned and pressed at his temples. He hadn’t exactly expected a nosy, loud companion when he’d taken the corner office with the amazing view that, for some inexplicable reason, no one wanted. It was about a week after he moved in that he realized why. The office came complete with a blonde guest, who thought he owned the place and had an opinion about everything.

The worst was when Otabek would be standing in front of this closet in the early morning, contemplating what to wear, when a deep voice would pipe up in his head, complaining about how much plain black Otabek owned. How he needed to liven up his wardrobe with something bold, like the animal print that was so popular these days. Otabek had no idea why he had some sort of mental link with the ghost, or why he though animal print was a good idea, but ever since moving into the office, he’d been privy to a variety of unwanted and entirely unnecessary comments at all hours of the day.

“Do we need to have the conversation about my computer science degrees versus the fact computers weren’t even a twinkle in the eye of the greatest inventors back in 1817? We’ve had that argument before, Yuri. You never win it.” Otabek griped, hoping they didn’t have to; it usually shaved at least thirty minutes off his productivity.

_‘Hmph. That’s what you think.’_ Came the disgruntled response, Otabek just knew that Yuri had crossed his arm and was pouting somewhere behind him. He didn’t look though, not wanting to give the blonde the satisfaction, _‘But it doesn’t matter, you’re still doing it wrong.’_

As if to prove Yuri’s point, the program that Otabek had been trying to run came to a complete halt, error message popping up on the screen. Okay, so maybe Yuri was right, but it wasn’t exactly like coding could be done right on the first time. Or Yuri had the slightest clue what any of the commands did. Never mind that Otabek had been working on this project for over a month now. And this particular section for a week.

Otabek groaned and resisted the urge to smack his computer screen. “Okay, if you’re so certain I’m doing it wrong, enlighten me.” 

The air grew colder around Otabek, a sign that Yuri had move closer to him, as if to study the screen, but his words belied his true interest a perfect example of why Otabek found himself regularly rolling his eyes at his ghostly companion, _‘Well because you’re just sitting their staring at your computer like a lump. So explain it to me!_ ’ 

And here’s the thing, Otabek knew Yuri was right. Through the months of sharing space, they’d discovered something of a system. Yuri knew absolutely nothing about computers, much less coding, and so Otabek could ramble for hours at him, and usually solve whatever problems were bugging up his program. Otabek was loathe to admit it though, which really explained Yuri’s whole insistence that Otabek try explaining it to him in the first place. 

A cold touch brushed his shoulder, fingers trailing across it, a fond gesture Yuri had picked up that Otabek shivered at every time, _‘Come on, you know it’ll help. It always does. Just as much I’ll never understand all this techno mumbo jumbo, you know I’ve drastically increased your productivity,’_ The tone of voice was haughty swirling in Otabek’s head with a hint of laughter. _‘You know I’m right….’_ He taunted. 

Just barely resisting the urge to bang his head back against the chair, Otabek sighed, “Fine.” He’d deny the pout on his lips no matter how many times Yuri teased him about it. Because the thing was that Yuri would be cocky for weeks after this worked because it was going to work. It was like that damn rubber duck story every programmer heard in undergrad. Except this rubber duck had opinions and took an inordinate amount of pride in helping, when really all he did was just sit there and complain about the advancements of this world.

Yet, despite his reluctance, Otabek found himself explaining the code to Yuri, going over each step in the process, and each little minuscule detail, until “OH! Of course!” And with that, he was typing away at the keys again, fixing the problem areas and watching the code run through to the proper result this time.

_‘Hah! I told you!’_ Came Yuri’s response, seeing the victory overtake Otabek’s face, as he still understood none of what actually took place on the computer screen,  _‘What did I tell you? I’m awesome!’_  

“Yes, yes, you’re the best Russian rubber duck around,” Otabek said, not really listening as he double-checked everything one more time before closing down everything, making sure his progress was saved. Sure that was only one step in the entire project and he still had a bit to go before he was truly done, but it was one he’d been stuck on for forever, so he figured he deserved a bit of a break.

Finally, he turned to look at Yuri and couldn’t help a fond eye roll. Yuri just looked so damn happy like he’d helped Otabek save the world or something. Otabek had to remind himself once again that Yuri was supposed to be a nuisance; an unwanted presence in his life. Not someone he’d totally date if they’d been born in the same century. But with how corporeal Yuri looked it was easy to forget sometimes that the other wasn’t really alive. Really, it was mostly the fact that Otabek could hear Yuri’s voice in his head, and not out loud, that reminded him more often than not. Perhaps that was why he was often so reluctant to look at the other. 

Yuri noticed his gaze and grinned, _‘Does that mean you’re taking a break now?’_ He asked, excitement coloring his tone, though the ghost would pout for days if Otabek even dared called him on it. _‘Does that mean I can tell you more stories about the ballet?’_  

Otabek nodded, “Sure, I think I’ve earned a break, besides I know you’d just whine if I didn’t.” Because that was their routine when Otabek took a break, especially after a break through on a stubborn piece of code, he’d listen to Yuri’s stories from his life, before he died. To stories about being in the ballet and dancing and being the absolute best in the world, before illness cut his dreams all too short. And while Yuri’s early death left some sort of melancholy hollow feeling in Otabek’s chest, the joy the ghost still held for his profession was delightful. Otabek could listen to his stories for hours, and often had, losing track of time as he imagined being back then with Yuri.

Just as Otabek knew Yuri would listen to him ramble about code for hours. Not understanding a word, but just enjoying the cadence of his voice and the companship these two disparate people had come to find by nature of a pecular situation. It was a bit unorthodox that Otabek’s best friend hadn’t been living for so long and that Otabek couldn't really touch him. But Otabek didn’t regret taking that corner office in the slightest. It wasn’t normal, but it worked for them, and maybe it could be the perfect love story in a different time, with different circumstances. But, right now, Otabek was content to just listen to Yuri's story and let the day fade away as images of an ancient Russian ballet flitted through his head.

 


End file.
